Customer experience must have a seat at the table – marketing expert
Head of Brand and Marketing at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Chidinma Braye-Yankey, has called on businesses to give customers a stronger voice in corporate decision-making, stressing that customer insights must shape business outcomes rather than serve merely as feedback for management.
She made the call at the CXP Ghana Conference & CXX Awards 2026, held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, where she participated in a panel discussion on “How Leadership Drives Customer-Centric Transformation”.
She said organizations seeking to deliver meaningful customer experiences must move beyond listening to customers to ensuring their views influence the decisions that affect them. “Customer experience must have a seat at the table, but beyond that, it must have the necessary influence,” she said.
According to her, it is the responsibility of leaders to translate customer insights into practical improvements in products, services and business processes.
She noted that organizations often gather valuable information about customer needs and preferences but fail to use it to shape decisions. She argued that customer experience teams should be empowered to influence outcomes, ensuring that business strategies reflect what customers need.
Mrs. Chidinma Braye-Yankey cited Stanbic Bank Ghana’s approach to naming its digital lending product, Instacash, as an example of how customer participation can inform business decisions.
She explained that, rather than relying exclusively on an internal naming exercise, the bank sought input from customers on what they would prefer the product to be called.
The feedback revealed different preferences, with female customers favoring a name associated with cash, while male customers leaned towards the idea of instant access. The bank brought both preferences together to arrive at the name Instacash.
She said the decision demonstrated the value of involving customers early in the product development process, even when it meant setting aside a name the organization had already considered.
“We were willing to set aside a name we had already put on the product, just so customers could relate to it, understand it and appreciate it,” she explained.
For Mrs. Braye-Yankey, the experience illustrates why customer participation should extend beyond surveys and consultations. Businesses must be prepared to act on what they learn, including reconsidering existing decisions when customer feedback points to a better option.
She also distinguished between good customer service and a good customer experience, noting that the latter requires organizations to examine how their operations are designed, not simply how employees interact with customers at the frontline.
She referenced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ practice of reserving an imaginary seat for the customer in boardroom discussions as a reminder that customer needs should remain central to business decisions.
Beyond strategy, she challenged leaders to personally experience the products and services they approve for customers. She said this would help identify shortcomings before offerings reach the market and reinforce accountability for service quality.
“Leaders must begin to experience what we approve. We must begin to live what we preach,” she said.
The discussion highlighted the role of leadership in making customer-centricity part of everyday business practice, rather than treating it as a standalone customer service function.
Picture: Chidinma Braye-Yankee, Head, Brand and Marketing, Stanbic Bank Ghana